In the context of the contemporary rebirth of interest in contemplative prayer in the Christian tradition, many people, e.g., Laurence Freeman (1995), Eileen O'Hea (1990), Bede Griffiths (1991), have begun to examine the writings of John Main. / This thesis presents John Main's understanding of Christian Meditation, in particular, his recovery from the Desert monks of the 4th century, of the practice of 'pure prayer' (silent meditation using a prayer word or mantra). Main recovered the use of a mantra as a way of meditation within the tradition of the Christian church. / The thesis also discusses some aspects of the Christian life and themes which are relevant to his teaching and finally, articulates some implications for contemporary religious/spirituality education. Comparisons are made between Main's pedagogical approach and that of several other contemporary Christian educators.

No description available.